


Master Hijinks

by Mimzy_Whimzy



Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Alternate Ending, Gen, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Kairi didn't die and Sora didn't have to save her, M/M, Multi, Post-Kingdom Hearts III, not compliant to KH Dark Road
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-09
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:21:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 20,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24617500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mimzy_Whimzy/pseuds/Mimzy_Whimzy
Summary: A few moments passed where no one dared to breathe. A few more beats and the two figures began to stir. Awake again. And what comes after, not even Kingdom Hearts could have predicted.OR---Xehanort, Eraqus and Yen Sid are all mysteriously transformed back into their teenage selves and have their own World hopping journey while learning more about each other and the relationship of Light and Darkness.
Relationships: Eraqus & Xehanort (Kingdom Hearts), Eraqus & Yen Sid (Kingdom Hearts), Eraqus/Xehanort (Kingdom Hearts), Xehanort & Yen Sid (Kingdom Hearts)
Comments: 55
Kudos: 70





	1. Unforeseen Circumstances

**Author's Note:**

> Master Trio friendship! Let's go!
> 
> conceptualized and written before Dark Road news so none of the new characters.

The guardians watched as the two masters began to glow. A warm light emanating from both of the two former friends as they smiled at one another. The darkness Xehanort harbored nowhere to be seen. But then the light grew brighter, flashing blindingly white. Those witnessing the phenomenon covering their eyes from the sight.

The light faded, the guardians blinking stars from their eyes. The scene in front of them now changed. Where the two masters had once stood, there were now two figures huddled together on the ground, unconscious. 

A few moments passed where no one dared to breathe. A few more beats and the two figures began to stir. Awake again. And what comes after, not even Kingdom Hearts could have predicted.

* * *

Eraqus came to slowly, the deafening ring in his ears lulling to a hum as the feeling in his limbs returned. The hard surface beneath his side telling him he was lying on the ground. Why that was, he couldn't tell you. He heard another sound then, a voice he knew. 

"Stay back!" The sound of his friend's voice laced with an uncharacteristic apprehension spurned Eraqus to open his eyes. Where he was greeted by an unexpected sight. 

He saw Xehanort's back. His friend crouched down in front of him. Keyblade arm outstretched. Defensive but ready to strike. 

Eraqus sat up. Looking where xehanort had his keyblade raised toward a large group of people. Who were all staring at them. A blue haired woman stood in front. The keyblade in her hand poised to strike. 

"...Xeha.." Eraqus said. Now just as apprehensive as Xehanort's voice had sounded before. Placing a hand on Xehanort's shoulder, he began to stand. His friend rose with him as they tried to back away from the clearly angry woman. 

"What'd you do this time!?" Xehanort has been known to cause trouble. Picking fights, hitting on girls who couldn't be any less interested. Surely this situation was the same. 

"Nothing!!!" Xeha hissed back at him. "I wake up on the ground and this lady pulls a keyblade on me!" 

"Yeah, and? Vera did the same thing last week! You deserved it then!" 

"I did no-! Okay, maybe I did. But this isn't last week Eraqus!" Xehanort turned to his accuser "Oh but weren't _you_ the one who told Aliana she wasn't pretty enough to be my type?! That's some tact you have, Mr. Nobleman!"

The current situation faded away as the two bickered. Xehanort dispelling his keyblade as he fully faced his raven haired friend. Hostile woman and group of strangers forgotten. 

Eraqus sputtered, "I just told her the truth! I don't do well under pressure, Xeha!"

"You could have been nice about it!! She was crying when she attacked me!" 

"Oh like tears have ever moved you before." Eraqus had crossed his arms now.

Just because the strangers faded from their minds however, didn’t mean that they weren’t there. Their bickering was silenced as the tip of a keyblade returned to Xehanort’s face. The silver haired boy flinching back, eyes widening at the culprit. The same blue haired woman glaring him down, unwavering.

“H- hey! What’s the big idea, Lady?” Xehanort and Eraqus both voiced protests at the woman. Raising their hands in surrender. 

Eraqus saw a tall man approach behind the woman, his brows knit in concern as he reached toward her. “Aqua, I don’t think-” 

“This is just another of Xehanort’s tricks! He always has a plan, Always!”

“Hey , I don’t know what you’re talking abou--” Eraqus held his hands up, hoping to mitigate the situation.

“Aqua, wait! Maybe we can-” 

“Sleep!” The woman’s voice rang out with the spell. 

Eraqus felt the effects immediately, vision blurring as his body gave out on him. His eyes closed and he was forcefully slipped into sleep.

* * *

Yen Sid woke with a splitting headache. These headaches weren’t uncommon, his ability of postcognition and clairvoyance allowing the universe to constantly whisper into his mind. 

Besides the headache, Yen Sid also noticed that he didn’t appear to be in his bed. Groggily opening his eyes he discovered that yes, he had been asleep sitting at a desk. But not _his_ desk as he recognized the room he was in to be his Grandfather's study and decidedly not his dorm room. 

_Odd._ Yen Sid thought to himself as he tried to recall how he’d gotten back to the tower. The last he remembered was-- what? Was he in class? In his dorm? The memories were fuzzy and his headache was doing the opposite of helping. 

The tower was quiet as he made his way down the stairs. He’d called for his Grandfather a few times with no luck, the tower seemingly empty aside from himself and the few enchanted brooms he’d seen wandering around. 

It had been about three hours since he woke, Yen Sid had found himself in the library skimming through a book on magic when it happened. He felt the familiar disturbance in the magic around the tower. Yen Sid could tell that the barrier had let them in, whoever it was. Permitting access to the visitor. 

Yen Sid closed the book he’d been reading and headed for the entrance. Assuming his Grandfather had returned to the tower, he felt he should greet him home. It had been a while since he’d seen the man who’d raised him. Nearly an entire year had passed since he’d left to become an apprentice of the Keyblade. 

At the top of the stairwell now, Yen Sid saw as the doors opened below. A few unfamiliar people stepped inside. None of them his grandfather, making Yen Sid uneasy. But they were in the tower, and as far as he could tell he was the only one there to greet them. He took a steadying breath and continued down the stairs as he spoke. “Can I help you? I'm afraid my Grandfather is away if you've come to see him." 

The woman holding the door open turned to him as he announced himself. Her brows furrowed in confusion. "A child.." he heard her mutter to herself, before she addressed him. "We've come to see the Master, I didn't know he had a grandchild. My name's Aqua."

As she introduced herself others came through the door she'd propped open. The last two men to enter carrying two familiar faces. 

"Era! Xeha!" Yen Sid's eyes widened at the sight of them, unresponsive in the stranger's arms. He rushed forward. Startling the red haired man holding his friend Eraqus. 

"Woah! Who's the kid?" The redhead shifted, adjusting his grip on the teenager in his arms. Eraqus looked to be alright, at least physically. A glance at Xehanort, who was held similarly by another tall man, showed the same. Both of them seemed uninjured, but they were unresponsive. Both very deep in their slumber, not stirring at all from the commotion. 

"He said he's the masters’ grandson." Yen Sid ignored the strangers as they muttered amongst themselves.

"What happened to them? Are they alright?" Yen sid had forgone all formalities, worried for his friends. 

"They're just asleep. They'll be fine." The brunette man holding Xehanort assured him. 

"R-right," Yen Sid relaxed at that. "that's good…" The stranger's assurances helped ease his worries some, but he couldn't help but feel uneasy. Everything had been odd since he woke up here. His head pounded, his headache returning as he tried to recall how he was here and not in his dorm at Scala. His Grandfather being gone was very odd as well, the man very rarely ever left the tower. Everything he needed was here, after all. 

And now a group of strangers arrive with his two friends who are unconscious for an unknown reason. Yen Sid is certain that something has happened.

The group had started up the stairs as Yen Sid shook himself out of his musings to follow them through his grandfather’s study and into the adjacent room where there were a few cots. Likely magically conjured, the tower sensing their needs. 

Eraqus and Xehanort were laid in the cots, Yen Sid looking between them concerned. 

“Hey, kid,” Yen Sid turned to the red haired man who had carried Eraqus in. “you said their names earlier, you know these two?” the man crossed his arms.

“Yea, you called them by shortened names too, ‘Era’ and ‘Xeha’, right?” The woman, Aqua, added her own question. Yen Sid could feel the others’ eyes on him too. The tension in the room making the line of questioning feel more like an interrogation than casual conversation. 

Yen Sid cleared his throat before answering. “Yes, they’re my friends. Eraqus and Xehanort.” He gestured toward the two in turn. “We go to school together.” He gave them the safe answer of course, as it’s not safe to just tell anyone of the Keyblade or Scala ad Caelum. But after he said it, his interrogators all shared glances and he suddenly felt that he gave the wrong answer. 

The woman looked back to him then and smiled softly as she asked him yet another question; “What did you say your name was?”. 

He answered honestly. “It’s Yen Sid.” and he watched as her eyes widened. The others’ having similar reactions too. They knew something, knew _him_ , and Yen Sid grew uneasy at the realization. 

He had a feeling that things were about to get a lot more complicated.


	2. Tension in the Tower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Xehanort and Eraqus wake, they're in an unfamiliar place. 
> 
> But maybe the people who brought them there aren't so bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just gonna mention it before anyone points it out: Kairi and Sora are in this and they are perfectly FINE. nothing bad ever happened. Nope!
> 
> Disregarding Dark Road plot, but I have been influenced by their personalities. Eraqus can be silly now. He deserves it.

Xehanort woke slowly, every sense fading back into consciousness. Pins and needles in his limbs and a fog in his mind as he crawled back into the waking world. When he was finally able to open his eyes, he was met with an unfamiliar room and his brows furrowed as he attempted to recall the events before he fell asleep through the heavy fog on his mind. A blue haired woman. And a keyblade. Did she attack him? And what about- 

Eraqus! Eraqus was with him. What happened? 

He shot up in the bed he was in, his body tense with the memory of the events before he was forced into sleep. 

He heard a few gasps as he sat up so suddenly, drawing his attention. Eraqus was there, sitting on a cot the same as his own across the room. And in a desk chair between them sat their friend Yen Sid. Both heads were turned toward Xehanort with expressions of surprise. 

“Xeha!” Eraqus was keeping his voice low. “You alright?” Xehanort didn’t really know how to respond to that. So much had happened, they didn't even know the extent of the situation they were in. The strangers that they had encountered, and why they had been confrontational. So, He didn’t answer, instead his gaze drifted behind his friend.

The sky outside the odd shaped window there was dark, but littered with countless stars in unfamiliar constellations. Waking up in an unknown place was already concerning, but the stars being so different was even more so and Xehanort wasted no time in voicing the question on his mind; “...Where are we? Another world?” 

It was Yen Sid who answered him, “ Yes, this is the world I’m from, it’s really just this tower and the surrounding land. No one else lives here except my grandfather.” 

“So, how did we get here then?” Eraqus asked before Xehanort could. 

“Those people brought you. You were both unconscious. No one said _why_ you were out cold though. They told me they were here to see the master of the tower.”

“That lady cast a sleep spell on us, that’s why!” Xehanort stood from his cot. 

“The lady you hit on, you mean?” 

“I did no--!” Xehanort stopped himself, pressing his lips into a line as he glared back at the boy. Eraqus had a loose fist held up to his mouth. Failing to hide the cheeky grin on his face as he snickered. 

“Which girl?” Yen Sid asked Eraqus. Both ignoring Xehanort’s protests, who flopped back onto the cot and groaned into the pillow as the two he called his friends gossiped about him.

“Blue hair.”

“She hardly seems his type, Era.” Yen Sid added, matter of factly. “The other two, though~” they laughed. 

“I hate both of you.” Xehanort’s voice was muffled by the pillow.

They spent the next half hour or so just killing time. Yen Sid had told them all that he knew. That the blue haired woman introduced herself as Aqua and that when he told them his name they all acted like they recognized it and didn't speak directly to him at all afterwards, leaving him with the still asleep Eraqus and Xehanort. 

The boys added what they knew from before they were put to sleep, Aqua being hostile toward Xehanort without provocation. Had said something about “another one of his tricks” whatever that means. 

Xehanort had resorted to pacing after his initial snooping of the room came up empty. Yen Sid had taken a spot on the cot Xehanort woke up in and was reading one of the many books from the shelves. Lying on the other cot was Eraqus, who had found a ball that he was now tossing into the air. 

The three of them went still and all looked toward the open door at the sound of a voice. “Oh good, you’re awake.” The silver haired boy entered the room with a tray in his hand. “I brought you some water.” He placed the pitcher and cups down on the nightstand between the two cots.

Xehanort broke the silence after that. “So, where are we?”

“I told you, in my grand-” Yen Sid began, but Xehanort interrupted him without once breaking eye contact with the stranger.

“I know what you told me, Sid. I want _him_ to answer me.” They can only get so far with what they already know. There’s still so much they don't know about these people and why they were brought here. The more information they could gather, the better. 

The answers the stranger-- Riku, he introduced himself as-- gave them were consistent with Yen Sid’s story. That was enough to reassure them that it was, in fact, the truth. But Xehanort couldn't help but notice the man's eyes darting around. Sometimes lingering on him as if gauging any sort of reaction. Acting as if he wasn’t sure what he could share, they were hiding something from them, that was certain. 

* * *

Riku returned to the library where the others were, They’d been pouring through books since they’d returned, trying to find _something_ that could explain to them what had happened to the masters. The hopes that Master Yen Sid would know had been dashed when they arrived to find that he also was affected by whatever was happening. 

Seeing a young Yen Sid was a shock to everyone. He was _tiny,_ probably younger than the other two Masters-turned-teens. Wavy light brown hair and youthful round cheeks. 

Riku hadn’t known the other master, Eraqus, so he didn't have a reference to compare. But he did for the young Xehanort. Though the time traveling keyblade wielder they fought against was significantly more of a pain than the one they just met. 

The heads of Aqua, Mickey, Sora, and Kairi turned to him when Riku entered the room, which was much less crowded than it had been previously. Axel, Roxas and Xion, who had been on a call with Ienzo when he left to check on their ‘guests’, were nowhere to be seen. “Where’d the others go?” He asked as he sat back at his spot next to Kairi and Sora at the table. 

“Ienzo told them Isa was recompleted! They rushed over to Radiant Garden as fast as they could! Axel looked excited.” Sora filled him in on what happened. 

“Oh, he was Axels friend right? That’s good.”

“Yea, Ienzo also said they would have the vessel ready for Namine soon!” Kairi joined in with equally exciting news. “And Ven, Goofy and Donald headed to the kitchen for food.”

Riku started to return to the book he’d been looking through before stopping. He supposed he should update them all on the situation. “Those two are awake now, by the way.” Aqua and Mickey turn their attention to him immediately. Terra stepped out from behind a bookshelf and approached to take a seat next to Aqua, also giving him his full attention.

“Did you notice anything odd?” Mickey asked first. 

“No, they were just talking with each other but stopped when they noticed me. Xehanort was the first to ask where they were.” He told them of their discussion. “I think they actually don’t know what happened. Xehanort was acting defensive and kept asking questions. Who we were, why they were here. Things like that.” 

“And what did you tell them?” Aqua asked quietly. Out of all the guardians, she was the one most apprehensive and suspicious about the whole situation. And she’d gotten quite the talking to by everyone else about her ill advised use of sleep spell. It had been wildly unnecessary. Riku remembered the boys’ expressions as she threatened them and the fear he saw there.. His stomach turned at the memory.

“Nothing that they wouldn't already know, I think. Just stuff about where they were and how they got here, mostly. Though I think they picked out that I wasn't telling them everything. They’re not the same masters that we know, but they’re not stupid either.” it wasn’t only Xehanort who had been eying him critically after all, the other two were just as suspicious and inquisitive as he was. “Oh, one thing I noticed, Xehanort’s eyes are different. They’re not gold.” 

“That is odd.” Mickey mused, brows furrowed. But he offered no other comment. 

“Right. He’s different from the Xehanort we know. More importantly, they don’t seem to remember anything. If what Yen Sid said was true, they’re all classmates, right? Just a bunch of kids who have no idea where they are or anything that has happened.”

“They’re probably scared, then.” Kairi proposed, curling her arms in toward herself “I know I would be.” she added, her voice softening.

“Yea. I think, to them, we were a bunch of strangers. Who threatened one of them with a Keyblade to the face.” Terra grinned, eyeing Aqua, who merely gave him an even stare back before looking away. 

“I think we should at least try to be friendlier to them.” Sora started. “Let them know they’re not in any danger from us.”

“I agree.” Riku said. “I didn’t say anything but I left the door open, trying to show that they weren’t trapped there. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve started wandering around.”

* * *

The door hadn’t been closed when Riku left, but none of the boys attempted to leave. They weren’t given permission to wander, but they weren’t exactly told to remain in the room either. So they weren’t sure what they should do. 

“What is that?!” Eraqus suddenly exclaimed, pointing toward the open door. Xehanort and Yen Sid follow his gaze, but see nothing through the doorway. Eraqus had jumped from his cot and rushed over and out the door. 

“Era, wait!” Yen Sid calls after him. He and Xehanort share a concerned look before they both jump up to follow their excitable friend. Once out the door and into the study, they saw Eraqus kneeling on the floor. Looking ahead of him, they finally saw what he was talking about. And they both relaxed.

It was one of the enchanted brooms that helped out around the tower. Yen Sid had been seeing them his whole life, but he supposed that they were a pretty novel concept to anyone else. Yen Sid stood back as Xehanort joined Eraqus in watching the broom go about it’s business whispering to each other as to not disturb it. Yen Sid chuckled to himself at the sight of them. 

They watched as the broom walked across the room, dusting off low shelves as it went. The two Keyblade apprentices watching it all the way. Xehanort lets his curiosity get the better of him as he approaches the sentient broomstick and grabs it by the handle. It’s little arms flailing as it drops the dust cloth, clearly not happy to have been lifted from the ground. 

“Put it down, Xeh. It’s doing its job.” Yen Sid chuckles a bit as Xehanort turns the broom this way and that, poking at it with his other hand.

“Oh, sorry!” Xehanort snaps out of his curiosity trance and nearly drops the creature, but pauses to let it down gently. The broom waddles a bit as it regains its balance and shakes a fist at Xehanort before snatching its cloth off the floor and carrying on its way out the room. 

Xehanort scratched the back of his head as they watched it leave. “My bad..” He says to no one in particular. He’d let his curiosity take over again, he really needed to stop that. He stayed turned away from them, hiding his reddening face as his friends snickered at him from behind. 

Since they had left the room already with no resistance, the boys shared a look and shrugged before heading out the only other door in the study. Following Yen Sid down the stairs.

* * *

“ WAK! Careful, Ven!” Donald ducked out of the blonds way as he nearly stabbed the duck as he turned toward him with the kitchen knife in his hand. 

“Sorry!” Ven apologized as he set the knife down this time before reaching for the other fruits to prepare. The duck eyed him warily as he stepped away from the danger zone. Goofy chuckling as he retrieved the glasses for drinks. Everyone else was busy in the library when he’d decided to prepare some snacks for the group. He wasn’t the best at studying, so all the research they were doing was making him antsy anyway. 

Donald and Goofy went on ahead with the drinks and glasses as Ven finished up, cleaning the knife and cutting board before gathering the two plates of sandwiches and fruit to head back to the library. 

* * *

Yen Sid led them down the stairs from the study but their impromptu exploration had barely started before they bumped into another one of their “captors”. The blond boy was around their age and stopped when he saw them, readjusting the plates of food in his hands as he gave them a smile. 

“Oh, hey! Glad to see you guys awake!” 

“Uh, yea. Glad to be awake.” Eraqus smiled back.

“You guys feeling okay? Forced sleep is the worst.” Yen Sid’s head suddenly pounded, his headache returning with a vengeance. He clutched his head with a hand as he screwed his eyes shut. 

> “ _The boy’s heart is sleeping.” A man’s voice pierced his senses as a scene flashed behind his closed eyes. The form of the boy they’d just met slumped against a wall, unresponsive. The woman he recognized as Aqua kneeling by his side._
> 
> _“When will he wake?” Her voice echoed in his mind. The vision fading back to black as the man’s voice answered faintly._
> 
> _“I could not say.”_

The pain in his head faded to a manageable level after the vision ended. Yen Sid blinked his eyes open to find the others staring at him in concern. 

“Headache again?” Xehanort asked him. 

“Yea, getting visions too.” He rubbed his temple. “I’m fine now.” 

“If you’re sure…”

“Anything interesting in that vision of yours?” Eraqus asked after they were sure he was okay. He was smiling at him, Yen Sid often shared his visions with his friends. It was fun interpreting them together and it was good practice. 

“Kinda?” he answered, turning his attention back toward the blonde the vision was about. “You… were you forced into sleep once?” the boys eyes widened.

“Heh, yea I was.. That’s what your vision was about?” He asked and Yen Sid nodded. “That’s pretty cool, looked like it hurt though.” 

“Just a bit.” he admitted. 

“Not too bad, I hope.” Eraqus voiced his concern this time and Yen Sid waved him off. 

“That’s good. Oh, I’m Ventus by the way. But call me Ven.” Ven smiled at them. “I’d shake hands but-” he raised the plates he held in explanation.

“Oh! Here, let me help.” Xehanort offers, taking the plate of fruit off his hands. “Xehanort. But if that’s too long, just call me Xeha.” He grinned at Ven. 

“Eraqus. Nice to meet you, Ven.”

“Likewise.” Ven’s smile was gentle toward Eraqus before he looked back at Yen Sid. “And you’re Yen Sid, right? We met earlier.”

“Right. So, where you headed with all the food?” 

“The library. Figured everyone would be hungry. You guys want to come? Got plenty of food!”

And that’s how they found themselves having lunch in the tower’s library. 

“We’ve come with snacks!” Ven called as he approached the open doorway

“Took long enough, we thought you were right behind Donald and Goofy!”

“I got distracted!” 

Eraqus could feel the eyes on them when they entered behind the blond and he tried not to feel self conscious. But he knew Xehanort at least would feel the same. Sitting at a table past Ven, Eraqus could see the woman, Aqua, who had cast sleep on them. 

Despite the stares, Xehanort followed Ven and placed the plate he held next to the other on the table. 

“What do you know, Riku did say they’d be wandering around.” The tall brunette man said with an amused smile, breaking the awkward tension in the room. 

“Bumped into Ven coming down the stairs.” Yen Sid explained. 

“Yep! And I invited them to come eat with us.” Ven pulled napkins out of his pocket and set them near the food as he spoke. 

“Cool, we were meaning to go up there soon cause I think we all got off on the wrong foot back there.” Another blue eyed brunette stood from his chair and approached them smiling and holding out a hand. “I’m Sora! Eraqus and Xehanort, right? Yen Sid told us your names earlier.” 

Eraqus shook his hand first. “Right, I’m Eraqus.” He released his hand and Xehanort took it next. 

“Just Xeha for short.” He smiled back at the boy but the expression faded as he spoke again. Voice sounding serious as he addressed everyone in the room. “But I think you knew our names longer than when Sid told you. I remember her”, He pointed at the blue haired woman across the table. “saying my name before she cast that spell on us.” He crossed his arms. The previously severed tension in the room returning full force as the silvernette called them out. “Which reminds me..” He uncrossed his arms and fully faced the woman. And when he spoke next his voice was just as serious but less accusatory as he raised his hand to sheepishly scratch the back of his head. “I don’t know what I did to make you so mad at me, Miss. But I’m sorry.”

“I mean, you sure you didn’t hit on her?” Eraqus cheekily added, knowing that he hadn’t but couldn't help teasing him again. It had the desired effect too as Xehanort turned back to him, his face slightly pink. But he didn't expect what his friend did next. 

Xehanort grabbed his face in both his hands pinching and pulling on his cheeks. “I’ll hit on _you_ if you keep bringing that up!” He grit through his teeth. The threat, meaningless as Eraqus laughed through the slight pain, trying and failing to push his friend away. The others in the room also laughing at their antics. The leftover tension in the room dissipating. 

They were introduced to the others then as everyone sat down to eat. Friendly conversation between all of them. Eraqus eventually asked if they were all keyblade wielders which led to many more questions. If they’d visited other worlds and what they were like, what kinds of heartless they’ve fought. The three young keyblade apprentices listened in earnest as the others recalled their experiences and told fantastical stories of the other worlds. 

That’s how the rest of the evening went, Xehanort, Eraqus and Yen Sid heading back up to the study as the others began leaving the library to find places to sleep. Yen Sid stopped as they passed his grandfather's desk, however, walking over to it. 

“What’s up?” Eraqus asked. 

“I’m worried about my Grandfather.” Sid began opening drawers. “He’s never been gone this long. I wonder if he left a note or anything.” He continued looking through drawers as Eraqus and Xehanort walked over beside him. 

In the bottom drawer, on top of a stack of papers was a strange looking item. A blue-green and yellow star shape, one of the points like lightning. 

“What’s this?” Xehanort reaches into the drawer to grab the object.

“Ooh, let me see!” Eraqus reaches for it too. 

“Hey! Don’t touch something you don’t know what it is!” Yen Sid goes to grab the star and put it back. His and Eraqus’ hands making contact with it at the same time. 

There’s a blinding flash of light and a sickening feeling in his gut. A sensation of the world lurching and his feet leaving the floor. He heard Eraqus and Yen Sid yelp as they felt it too. The feelings intensify and Xehanort once again curses his curiosity before his consciousness faded to black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh no.. What have they gotten themselves into this time?


	3. Down the Rabbit Hole

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here we go! The world hopping journey begins!

Terra and Aqua were some of the last to leave the library to find places to sleep, events of the past days taking their toll. The hall was quiet as they walked. 

“They’re really not how I expected they’d be.” Terra admitted “Who knew Master Eraqus was such a little dork?” Aqua hummed a smile as Terra grinned wide. “I knew that he and Xehanort were friends but I guess I didn’t realize just how close they were.”

“They reminded me of us..” Aqua agreed, and Terra could see what she meant. The way they joked with each other and bantered. He and Aqua had been the same when they were younger, before Ven joined their family. That was when they started taking things more seriously, at least. So the playful arguments and pranks died down as they grew up.

“Yea. Those were the days, huh.” They laughed and they returned to companionable silence. 

They walked for a few minutes more before Aqua spoke again. “I.. I admit that I acted too rashly back there. But you understand why I did, right?” 

“I do.” 

“It’s just. He always had another plan. How can we know that this isn’t one of them? Trying to trick us with who he was before he turned to the darkness?” They stopped walking as they reached the rooms at the end of the hall. Terra saw Aqua clench her fists as she looked at the floor. “We just need to be careful.”

“Right.” He yawned through the word, earning a giggle and a yawn from Aqua who had raised her head to look at him. “Welp, that’s our queue. Goodnight, Aqua.” He told her as he reached for the door.

“Night, Terra.” She smiled, opening her own door. 

They parted into their separate rooms to get some much needed rest.

* * *

Xehanort groaned as he pushed himself off the damp ground. His stomach protested at the movement and he recalled feeling a similar sensation, but more intense, before he passed out. He shook his head in an attempt to clear the fog as he moved to stand. 

He didn’t know what he’d expected, but a dense forest and giant flowers surrounding him was certainly not his first guess. Though it did explain why the ground was damp. 

Looking around himself, Xehanort spotted a shining object partially hidden underneath some brush. Picking it up, he recognized the object as part of the blue-green star shape that they had been looking at before. The piece was broken, just one point and part of the lightning bit remained. “Perfect.. We broke it.” He muttered to himself before pocketing the piece and taking another look around for any other shards of it. 

There was no one around the clearing that he’d woken up in. No Eraqus or Yen Sid to be seen either. At least there appeared to be a path leading through. Xehanort began following it.

He stepped out into a wider clearing with paths winding every which way. On the trees were many wooden signs in the shapes of arrows. The words, ‘This Way’ and ‘That Way’ scribbled on them. All pointing in so many contradictory, unhelpful directions. Xehanort stopped in his tracks, shoulders slumping in disbelief. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” Shaking his head and taking a deep breath, he looked around for any  _ other  _ sign of which path to take. 

“Lost are you?” Xehanort heard a voice, but saw nothing when he turned toward the direction it spoke from. His eyes darting around in confusion.

“Or, perhaps, misplaced?” The voice came again from behind him. Xehanort whipped around, but again, met with nothing. He fell into a defensive stance, eyes scanning the treeline. 

“Show yourself!” He spoke aloud after an unsettling beat of silence. Xehanort could feel the eyes on him, his sneaky company still hanging about. 

Unsurprisingly, the voice responded. “But what of myself might I show?” The voice was close. Directly behind Xehanort, who turned quickly only to see two bright yellow cat eyes staring him down. Xehanort jumped back in surprise. The eyes were not connected to anything, no face, no body. Just a pair of eyes floating in the air. The voice continued to speak, undisturbed. “The eyes can misdirect.” The eyes blinked and vanished again into thin air. “The mouth can lie.” a wide, grinning mouth appeared in the air. Visibly speaking the words before disappearing yet again. 

Whatever it was had paused in its little speech, the forest falling silent again. But Xehanort couldn’t relax, it hadn’t left. 

“So tell me,” It was farther away this time, and when he turned toward it, Xehanort was shocked to see it, maybe, fully visible. A striped purple and pink cat was perched on a tree stump across the clearing where it continued to speak. “Do you believe what has been shown?” His eyes narrowed at the creature. It hadn’t given him any information that could be a lie. Everything it had said was just examples of  _ how _ lies can be told. Its question made no sense. Unless-

“You’re... not talking about yourself are you?” As the cat stayed in its spot on the stump, Xehanort lowered his defensive stance. It didn’t seem the type to attack him, anyway. 

“My self, your self, all the selfsame without a name.” The cat squirmed upon the stump. It was as if it was immune to gravity, rolling lazily until it was supported only by its tail. 

“A name?” he repeated, contemplating the cat’s meaning. “I’m Xehanort.” He offered in response, still unsure. 

“So you are,” it said. “One of children three that nestle near,”

“Three? Eraqus and Yen Sid are here!?”

“Eager eye and willing ear,” the cat went on as if he hadn’t asked a question. “Pleased a simple tale to hear.” It finished. The rhyming lines it spoke were reminiscent of a poem. The cat vanished after it recited the verse. 

“Wait! Where are my friends?!” Xehanort looked all around, hoping to catch another glimpse of the cryptic cat. Only to come up empty. “Well, that was unhelpful.” 

He lingered a few more minutes for the cat to return, before huffing out a sigh and following the closest path. Might as well start somewhere. What an odd world so far. 

* * *

Yen Sid had been wandering for quite a while now. He’d gathered he must be in some kind of hedge maze with how many turns and branching pathways he’d found himself in after he awoke in this place. Just the color green everywhere. Green grass, green hedges that were at  _ least _ ten feet high and stretched across the ground. The only things that deviated from that hue were the too-blue sky overhead, and the occasional red rose that grew in bushes that were yet  _ another _ shade of green. 

Yen Sid was really beginning to get tired of that color. He came to another set of branching paths with a choice of four more directions to take and Yen Sid let out an aggravated groan before flopping down on his back in the center of the clearing. He closes his eyes against the incessant glare of the sky above and curses his luck. “Of course the world we get warped to is nothing but a maze!” He groans aloud again and remains lying there. 

After a moment, he moves. Reaching into his pocket for the item he’d found and stashed there shortly after he woke. Blinking his eyes open to see, he raised the object above him. The sunlight catches in the semi-transparent material, making it appear jewel-like in his hand. “That Xehanort and his curiosity…” 

Yen Sid breathes deeply and closes his eyes as he lets his arm fall back to his side. 

It’s silent for the next few beats before he sighs and raises to sit. “Might as well keep going..” He said before getting to his feet again, dusting off his robe and returning the broken object to his pocket. “Now, which way,” he mused to himself as he considered each path. They all appeared the same. Yen Sid sighed and after a quick game of eenie-meenie-miney-mo, he started walking. 

The too-green hedges curved left, then right and there was another sharp left that abruptly stopped. Dead end. Yen Sid grumbled as he turned around taking the path back. Past one curve, then two. But where the five way cross-section was before, there were now only two branching paths. 

Yen Sid blinked. He was sure that there were no other branches down the path he took. This had to be the same intersection. If that was the case…

“AARGHHH!” Yen Sid growled his frustration. Not only was this a labyrinth, it was a  _ magic labyrinth _ that can change the paths. 

Yen Sid once again flopped to the grassy ground in the clearing, only momentarily defeated. He closed his eyes and let himself breathe deeply. He could find his way out of this, but he didn’t have to be happy about it. 

A few moments pass and Yen Sid has calmed down. A breeze flows through the clearing and he opens his eyes. He watches as the rose petals on a bush catch in the breeze and flutter down. Another breeze picks up catching a few falling petals and instead of just fluttering to the grass, the wind lifts them higher. The upward draft lifting the petals high into the air and over the side of one of the high hedges. 

Yen Sid grinned. Now  _ that’s _ an idea. He got to his feet and summoned his keyblade. Modifying an aero spell, he was able to create enough of a lift to propel himself upward and onto the top of the hedges. Success! From this vantage point, he could see where the maze ended. The walls bordering a more open part of the gardens where it looked like a few people were gathered. And that was where Yen Sid was headed. Finally out of this labyrinth of green!

* * *

“Are you quite alright?” Eraqus heard the sweet voice ask. He blinked his eyes open against the light. He brought a hand to his head as he rose from the cold tiled floor. “You gave me a fright, falling down here the way you did.”

The girl was kneeling in front of him, her face pinched in concern that eased as he rose. “Sorry I scared you.” 

“Nevermind that, are you feeling well?”

“Heh. A little woozy, but I’m good.” Eraqus smiled. He was able to get a better look at her now, her long blond hair and blue and white dress. “I’m Eraqus. Thank you for looking out for me.”

“Oh, no trouble at all.” She dismissed. “I’m just glad you’ve not injured yourself. My name is Alice.” 

Eraqus stood, offering the girl a hand. She took it gratefully, standing to her full height. She only came up to his shoulder.

“Thank you, Sir Eraqus.” His face reddened at that.

“O-oh uh.. Just Eraqus, please.”

“Hehe. Eraqus then.” She giggled, covering her mouth. “Oh, I had almost forgotten.” she reached into a pocket in her dress. “Is this yours? It fell through the rabbit hole with you.” In her hand was a familiar object. Blue-green and yellow like the item Xehanort had grabbed from the desk drawer. Though noticeably smaller and misshapen. 

“Oh no, it’s broken!” He took the offered piece from her hand. 

“Oh, that’s unfortunate. I didn’t see any other pieces around earlier. Perhaps we can find them together!”

“Maybe..” Eraqus hoped she was right. “Oh! Alice?” she hummed. “Did you see anyone else around? Two boys about my age. One is wearing a black outfit like mine.”

“I’m afraid I haven’t.” Her face brightened as she had an idea. “My friends might know! I was on my way to see them, you see. We could ask if they’ve seen anyone!” Alice grasped his wrist and began pulling him along down the hallway. 

The hall around them was decidedly  _ weird, _ the floor and walls slanting every which way. Pieces of furniture even painted into the walls around them.

Alice led him to a door, which opened revealing a second, slightly smaller, door directly behind it. And another and another until the actual opening of the doorway was about half the size of the full door. Eraqus watched her open the doors with raised eyebrows until finally, the pattern ceased and they ducked through the tiny opening into a similarly bizarre room. 

There was a fireplace on a side wall, a round table with a single chair in the middle of the room, and a small door on the opposite wall. Just like in the hallway, there seemed to be more ‘furniture’ painted into the walls and floor. 

Alice approached the table, picking up one of two bottles that were placed there. She began to bring it to her lips before she stopped and glanced back to Eraqus. “Where we’re headed, we’ll need to be smaller. We’re much too big at the moment.” She offered as if it were an explanation before taking a sip from the bottle and setting it back on the table. 

Eraqus watched, eyes wide, as the already small girl began to shrink in front of him. By the time she stopped shrinking, Eraqus was sure he could hold her in just one hand. She was so small! She had turned to look up at him and he crouched down to see her better. And though her mouth was moving, presumably to speak. Eraqus could only hear faint squeaking. 

“I’m sorry. I can’t understand you, Alice.” He told her. The little Alice stopped ‘speaking’ and put her hands oh her hips. Tapping her foot as if waiting for something- “Oh!” Now he felt a little silly. Watching her shrink had made him completely miss that he should have followed suit. 

Standing again, he took the bottle she’d used and examined it. The contents didn't smell like anything and he’d seen Alice drink it, so it must be safe, right? Eraqus shrugged and brought the bottle to his lips. 

At first it tasted like nothing, just as it smelled. But after a moment, Eraqus could taste so many things at once; sweets like the cake and cookies he liked, mint and lemon like his favorite tea, even the savory broth of the hotpot they enjoyed in winter. So many of his favorites, one after the other. He’d been focusing so much on all the contradictory flavors that when he blinked his eyes open again, he was surprised to see Alice standing in front of him. No longer shrunk to the size of his hand. No, wait. He’d been shrunk too. 

“There we are.” Alice said, smiling up at him before turning. “The garden is this way, I’m sure Mr. Rabbit will be there.” She began walking toward the corner of the room, which was now much farther away due to their smaller stature. But they crossed the distance quick enough, Eraqus walking while distracted by how huge everything looked from down here. 

Through the archway in the corner, they emerged into a garden. Red rose bushes and hedges lining a clearing. An arch of roses framed what appeared to be a throne on the far end of the garden. A few other benches and tables scattered about the otherwise empty clearing. 

Alice stopped and turned to him, “Mister Rabbit’s house is that way.” She pointed down a path to the right. “Mr. Hatter and Mr. Hare live past the forest to the left.”

“Which way should we check first--?” Eraqus began to ask, before his attention was drawn instead toward the archway on their right. Where a white rabbit wearing a little red waistcoat ran into the garden. Alice followed Eraqus' line of sight and her face lit up with recognition.

“Oh, Mr. Rabbit!” She called to him. 

At the sound of his name, the rabbit jumped in shock. “Miss Alice!” He approached them. “So very good to see you, my dear!” He said. 

Pleasantries were exchanged then, Eraqus shaking the rabbits hand before asking him if he’d seen any other new faces around recently. 

“I certainly have not.” Mr. Rabbit answered, shaking his head. But before he got another word in, they were interrupted by what sounded like a strong wind, though the breeze was just as light as it had been since they entered the garden. 

“Eraqus!” 

Turning toward the voice, Eraqus saw a familiar face perched atop the hedge that served as a wall for the garden. Yen Sid jumped down into the garden and ran over to the group. 

“Sid!” Eraqus enveloped his friend in a quick hug, keeping a hand on his shoulder as they parted. “I was looking for you!” 

“Same here. There,” he pointed back toward the hedge he jumped from, “is a maze in there. And it kept changing on me!” 

“Oh, of course it does.” Mr. Rabbit chimed in. “The maze will only allow the Queen, herself, to pass through it.”

“Well isn’t that just lovely.” Sid half murmured to himself. Alice chuckling sweetly. 

“Oh! Sid, this is Alice, she helped me.” Eraqus gestured to the girl, who curtsied with a ‘How do you do?’. “And I’ve just met Mr. Rabbit, here.” Mr. Rabbit nodded. “This is Yen Sid, one of the friends I was looking for.” 

“Nice to meet you both.” Yen Sid said politely before turning back to Eraqus. “Now we just need to find that curious idiot who got us into this mess.” 

* * *

Xehanort hadn’t been walking for long after his encounter with the cryptic cat before he once again could sense that he was not alone in this forest. He kept walking, keeping his eyes and ears open. 

He was alert and prepared when it finally happened, allowing him to swiftly dodge out of the way of the shadowy creature that leapt at him from the treeline. Summoning his keyblade, Xehanort fell into his stance and faced his opponent. 

The creature that attacked him skittered on the forest floor. It’s bright yellow eyes darting around before it pounced again. Xehanort slashing through the creature as it neared him, destroying it. 

He couldn’t relax though, as more of the black creatures appeared. Seemingly spawning from the shadows themselves. “The Darkness!” Xehanort realizes. Their Master had spoken of these creatures in their lectures. 

Xehanort continues to fight the Heartless off, the group thinning as they stop spawning around him. He cleaves through the last of the shadows and straightens up, breathing hard and letting his keyblade arm relax at his side. 

Breathing hard after his first actual battle with the Heartless, Xehanort takes a last look around the area before dismissing his keyblade. “Heh, they’re not too bad.” He mused. Not anywhere near as thrilling as sparring with the other apprentices. He remembered Eraqus’ fiery determination in his eyes the last time they’d crossed blades. They’d deemed the results of that match a draw . But Xehanort knew, and would never admit, that, had the match not been timed, Eraqus would have beaten him then. Nevertheless, he still held the most wins against his raven-haired friend. 

Xehanort continued down the forest path, thankful that the scenery looked as if it were beginning to change. Large, colorful trees giving way to what looked to be overgrown blades of grass and flowers. He pressed on with his wandering, calling for Eraqus and Yen Sid as he went. The Heartless appearing in small groups every once in a while along his path, Xehanort cutting him down with growing ease. 

* * *

Watching from afar as the boy tore through the shadows on his path, the Cheshire Cat finished his rhyme, “Long has paled that sunny sky; echoes fade and memories die”.

* * *

The Mysterious Tower didn’t really have a day-night cycle. The stars stayed the same no matter the time. But the guardians had begun waking up after their rest, so deeming the time ‘morning’ fit the best. 

Riku, Mickey and Goofy were the first to wake, making an early breakfast for themselves and the others. They’d agreed to head to Radiant Garden as soon as they could. So after they dragged the sleepyheads out of bed to eat, they boarded the gummiship and departed. Leaving only the Aqua, Terra, Ven and King Mickey at the tower to watch over things. 

“So, just us today? The kids’ still asleep?” Terra asked as he refilled his glass of orange juice.

“Kids?” Aqua questioned his choice of words.

Terra shrugged. “Sure, what else should we call them?”

“Uhh,” Ven piped up from the other side of the table. “Young Masters? Mini Masters?” He gave a few suggestions. Grinning wide as Aqua and Terra chuckle. 

“They haven’t become masters yet in their memory, Ven. Maybe we shouldn’t mention that.” Mickey reminded him with a laugh. “Should we go wake them for breakfast?” 

“Yea, I’ll go!” Ven stood from his chair to do just that. 

Ventus made quick time up toward the study and to the adjacent room. But other than a third bed having been magically added, the room was empty. There was no sign of the three. Assuming they must be around somewhere, Ven headed back downstairs and through the halls more slowly this time, looking into each room as he went. Returning to the dining area with no luck.

“Something wrong, Ven?” Aqua asked when she saw him enter, noticing the troubled expression on his face. 

Ven scratched the back of his head, “Well uh, I can’t find them?”


	4. Reunions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reunions all around!

After Ventus came back without the three young wielders, the guardians that were still at the tower started a search. Thinking, perhaps they’d woken early and decided to explore. But every place they’d searched came up empty. 

Terra, after looping back to the dining and kitchen area for the second time, decided to check the upper levels once more only to find them just as empty as the others. 

Terra sighed and approached the windows in the study. The grounds that he could see, though not much, were just as barren. He scratched his head as he turned to head back down. 

Only to stop short as he noticed the state of the desk. Drawers left open and a few papers scattered to the floor. 

“Find anything?” Terra’s attention was drawn back to the doorway as Mickey entered. 

“No kids. But the Master’s desk is a mess.” He told the small King, waving him over to see for himself. Mickey took a moment, looking into the open drawers with furrowed brows. Terra leaned in closer but didn’t know what he’d be looking for, so he let Mickey do the searching. He was the one who knew Master Yen Sid the most, after all. 

When Mickey got to the bottom drawer, he shifted the papers in it around before gasping. He then quickly started opening the still closed drawers and searched through them. “Oh no.” He said when he’d looked through the last one. Terra coming closer, gesturing for the King to continue when he looked up at him. “We’ve gotta tell the others!” He started running for the door. 

“Wait! Tell them what?” Terra asked, following after him. 

“They’ve gone off world!” Mickey didn’t stop, and he didn’t elaborate. Terra could only follow him back down to the others. 

* * *

After their introductions, Mister Rabbit excused himself from the group saying he was expected at a meeting with the Queen. Leaving the two boys and Alice in the garden wondering how they should go about looking for the missing Xehanort. 

“We could try visiting Mr. Hatter.” Alice suggested. “We’d be able to search the forest along the way.”

Yen Sid and Eraqus shared a look. They had no other ideas, and Alice knew a lot more about this place than either of the boys did. Having a guide through the forest would be nice. Eraqus nodded with a smile to his friend before turning back to the girl. “Sounds like a plan! Would you mind leading the way, Alice?” 

The girl breaks into a smile, clasping her hands in front of her as she bounced on her feet “Why, of course!” She said excitedly. Her enthusiasm infectious as Eraqus’ smile widened. The normally impassive Yen Sid also affected, a small twitch of his lips as he and Eraqus followed the excited girl into the forest. 

They didn’t have to walk long for the boys to realize just how thankful they were to have Alice there to guide them. The single path that led into the forest quickly branched off into many meandering paths that winded every which way through the trees. 

Despite the extremely unhelpful signs posted all around, Alice seemed to know where she was going, so the boys followed her, listening to the stories she told them of fantastical creatures such as ‘mome raths’ and ‘borogoves’ as well as a talking cat that she’d met once. Yen Sid was particularly fascinated, asking her more about the creatures and seeming disappointed when she couldn’t tell him much. Much to Eraqus’ amusement. 

“So tell me,” Alice began after it seemed Yen Sid had exhausted his own questions. “This friend of yours, what is he like?”

“Maddening.” Yen Sid said in a tired tone causing Eraqus to laugh. Soon joined by a soft giggle from Alice too. 

“Aww, Sid’s grumpy.” Eraqus pulled him close with an arm over his shoulders, needling his shorter friend with a noogie as he jerked from the touch.

“Ack!” The brunette protested. “Get off me!” He pushed his smiling friend away and readjusting his coat. “It is his fault we got sent here, anyway!” he grumbled.

“Aw c’mon! It’s an adventure! Lighten up!” 

“At least he would fit right in!” Alice said, giggling into her hand. “Most everyone is mad here.” 

“He’s not all that bad. Just super curious and gets distracted easy.” Eraqus said, actually trying to answer her original question. Didn’t want to give her any false impressions about his friend before she got a chance to meet him. “We just met last year and we go to school together now.”

“Yea, and you don’t have to share a dorm with him.”

“Heh, that’s true. What, does he keep you up by studying? I’d thought that would be you, little prodigy.” Yen Sid was a year younger than he and Xehanort. His proficiency with magic letting him excel above the others in his year, allowing him to study with the older wielders.

“Hah! Wouldn’t Xehanort be the true prodigy? Dropping in out of nowhere and suddenly rising to the top of the class. Soaks in knowledge like a sponge but is always thirsty for more.” 

“That sounds like a compliment to me~” Eraqus teased. 

“You three must be close.” Alice says as they resume their walk. She listened intently as Eraqus continued talking about their missing friend, Xehanort. But his stories were interrupted as Yen Sid yelped from behind them. 

Having been knocked onto the ground, Yen Sid quickly got back up and summoned his keyblade. Eraqus following suit as he traced his friend's gaze toward the culprit. A squirming, shadow-like creature was there, barely distinguishable from the dark shadows of the underbrush. There was rustling in the bushes around them then, as numerous pairs of bright yellow eyes focused on their little group. Eraqus and Yen Sid readied their keyblades, taking places on either side of the defenseless Alice. 

“So these are the heartless..” 

“The darkness…” Eraqus added. He raised his blade into a block as one of the creatures pounced at him. Slicing it in two while it was stunned only for two more to take its place. He slashed at them, watching as the defeated ones dissipate into smoke. 

“Thunder!” He heard Yen Sid call. The spell lighting up the small area around them and taking out a majority of the enemies. With a few more cuts and slashes into the remaining creatures, the keyblade wielders took a final look around before deeming the threat taken care of. 

“Are you alright?” Eraqus asked Alice.

“Indeed I am. Twas only a bit startled at first, worry not.” She dusted off her skirt and smiled at them. “You carry weapons like Sora’s.” she observed. 

“You know Sora?” Yen Sid asked. They knew from the stories the night before that Sora and his friends had visited numerous worlds. But what were the odds that they’d be sent to one of the very ones he’d been to before? Let alone meeting someone who knew him. 

“Oh yes, He helped me once before.” She said simply. “I ought to have guessed that you knew him as well. It’s not often we have visitors here, you know.” 

“I see. Well, we shouldn’t stand still for long then, don’t want to be sitting ducks for those Heartless.” 

“Oh, of course! And, thank you two for protecting me.” Alice took a few slow steps backwards, starting to get moving again. “We’re not far from Mr. Hatter’s, now.”

“Only doing our duty, Miss Alice.” Eraqus made a show of bowing, smiling wide at Alice’s sweet laughter.

Yen Sid knocked Eraqus on the head as he walked past him. “What a charmer.” he snickered. They laughed together as they followed Alice down the path. Hopefully it wouldn’t be long now before they find Xehanort and can figure out how to get back to the tower. 

* * *

Flowing one attack into another, Xehanort was able to knock back the few heartless that spawned around him. Taking them out with a final fire spell, he dismissed his blade as he caught his breath. The dark creatures weren’t all that threatening on their own, but Xehanort now knew that it was their sheer numbers that were trouble. 

He’d been walking this path for a while now. There haven’t been very many encounters with the heartless, but it was still worrying. The paths and signs that were around where he woke up suggest that people do live here. Walking the paths with all the heartless around would be very dangerous for the locals. 

Xehanort tried not to let his thoughts wander too far. He had to stay focussed. Find Eraqus and Yen Sid. Or at least find something other than this forest! 

Luck must have finally been on his side as he walked on. Xehanort could hear voices in the distance of the silent forest. Following them, he stopped at the edge of a clearing. It was brighter here than the forest, he noticed, but not only that! There was a large table in the clearing, covered in a plethora of teapots and cups and surrounded by mismatched chairs. At the far end of the table sat a small man with a large hat. He was talking animatedly to the empty chair at his side. 

Confused, Xehanort looked closer. The chair was in fact empty, but the man was speaking to what looked to be a mouse sat on the table with its own small cup of tea. Not wanting to be rude, he walked further into the clearing so they could see him. 

“Oh! Miss Alice! Do come join us for tea!” The man in the large hat said when he noticed Xehanort enter. Xehanort cocked his head in confusion, looking around himself to see if there were any ‘Alice’ near him that the man could have been talking to. Coming up empty, he furrowed his brows further. 

“Alice! Miss Alice!” Another person spoke from closer by. Too quick for Xehanort to react, the voice’s owner grabs him by the wrists and starts bouncing around. Dragging the baffled keyblade wielder around in a sort of wild dance while he kept on talking. “We were expecting you, dear!”, “Have you grown since the last you were here, Miss Alice? You’ve gotten so tall!” Xehanort’s stuttered questions and words of reluctance falling on deaf ears as he attempted to get away.

Long ears, Xehanort notices as his dance partner releases him. The brown rabbit in a red suit jacket guiding him into one of the chairs at the table. 

“My dear, Miss Alice! You simply must have some tea!” The man in the hat leaned over the table to pour him a cup.

“Alice? I-I’m not--” He was cut off with something sweet being shoved in his open mouth. 

“Not polite to speak with your mouth full, dear.”  _ what?  _ Xehanort was baffled by these people. He swallowed the bite he forcibly took from the little treat and attempted, again, to speak. 

“Excuse me, I’m not Alice. I’m looking for my friends.” The three others at the table weren’t even looking at him now, the mouse had fallen asleep, the rabbit was busy organizing the small cakes in rows and the man in the hat was focussed on his own cup of tea. He peered into the cup for a long moment before slamming it down. 

“Clean cup!” he yelled rather loudly. “Move down!” He stood, grabbing the sleeping mouse and scooching over one chair. 

“Move down, move down!!” the rabbit on Xehanort's other side pushed him in the same direction the other man went. He kept pushing at him until Xehanort stood and switched chairs. This was certainly the oddest thing to happen to him today. 

“Mr. Hatter! Mr. Hare!” a feminine voice cut through the clearing. Everyone at the table turning toward the newcomer. 

Newcomers. Xehanort noted with a smile as he recognized the two friends he’d been looking for joined by a young girl. 

“Alice! My dear girl!” Mr. Hatter, Xehanort assumed was the man’s name, said before narrowing his eyes and turning back toward Xehanort. “Imposter!” he accused.

“I told you! I’m not Alice! Do I look like an Alice to you?” Xehanort retorted, not even caring about the snickers he heard from Eraqus. This place was ridiculous. He stood from the table as Alice spoke to the rabbit and Mr. Hatter and made his way over to Eraqus and Yen Sid.

“You found me! I was looking for you!” 

“Alice led us here. Were you having a tea party without us?!” Eraqus faked offence at the notion, putting his fists on his hips and leaning forward as if to scold him, but the effect was lost with the smile he couldn’t hide. 

Xehanort was going to reply but was distracted when he looked up to see Yen Sid, arms crossed. “Sid? You alright?” He asked, his friend looking up at him when he spoke. 

“He’s been grumpy.” Eraqus said. “C’mon Sid, we’ll figure it out.”

They heard steps approach and turned to see the girl returning to them. “Terribly sorry about that.” She apologized, looking at Xehanort. Most likely referring to the little identity mixup. The men continued their tea party behind her. 

“It’s fine.” Xehanort assured. “So, you must be Alice.” 

“That I am.” She smiled. “And you must be Xehanort, these two told me about you.” she gestured to his friends. “I’m so glad we found you. The forest can be dangerous.”

“Aww, Xeh can hold his own.” Eraqus threw an arm across his shoulders in a gesture growing increasingly familiar for the two of them. 

“If he’s not distracted by that curiosity of his.” Yen Sid added, stepping forward. He looked less grumpy now, at least, if the smirk is anything to go by.

Alice giggled. “Curiosity does often lead to trouble, you know.” 

“Oh, don’t I know it.” Xehanort agreed with a chuckle of his own. 

“Oh right!” Eraqus set down his cup and reached into his pockets. They were now sitting at the opposite end of the table from Mr. Hatter and Mr. rabbit. Alice had thankfully convinced the two to leave them all to enjoy the tea and sweets on their own.The boys thanked Mr. Hatter for the hospitality. The only exception was the dormouse, sound asleep and curled in Alice’s hand on her lap. Leaning across the table in interest, Xehanort quickly recognized a second fragment of the star-shaped object that had brought them here. He pulled out the piece he’d found as Eraqus continued speaking. “Alice said she found this near me. It’s a piece of that star from the desk right?”

“I found one too when I woke up.” Xehanort said, showing the piece. Yen Sid hummed and pulled out a third one. 

“I haven’t seen it before, Grandfather never told me about anything like it either.”

“Can it be fixed, I wonder?” Xehanort said, holding a hand out toward Eraqus who handed him the piece. Xehanort was only attempting to see if the edges of the break lined up, but as soon as the pieces touched, they attached themselves seamlessly to everyone’s surprise.

“Oh, how curious!” Alice exclaimed at the sight of the pieces merging. 

Excited by the turn of events, Xehanort grinned wide and grabbed for Yen Sid’s piece. Smile falling as the boy jerked his hand away. “Hey, you wanna fix it or not?” He asked.

“What if it activates again?” 

“Maybe it’ll take us back to the tower?” Eraqus supplied. 

“And if it doesn’t? Will we get separated again?”

“You could try holding hands?” The boys all look to Alice when she suggests it. 

“That’s not a bad idea.” Xehanort agrees. “If we hold onto each other, maybe we’ll stay together.”

“It’s worth a shot!” Eraqus agrees, jumping out of his seat. 

“Heh, finish your tea, Era. We should wait until we’re all ready.” Xehanort chuckled before turning back to Yen Sid. “Sound good?” he asked, smiling as Yen Sid nods his agreement.

They took another half hour or so. Talking with Alice, drinking tea, and eating sweets. They made sure to thank Mr. Hatter again before walking back down the paths to another clearing where they wouldn’t make a scene. 

“You sure you’ll be alright walking back?” Eraqus asked Alice. They weren’t far from the garden now, and well past the area where the Heartless had attacked them before, but he couldn’t help being nervous of her going back on her own. 

“I’ll be fine, Eraqus. Really.” She assured him before taking a few steps back. “Now, go on then.” 

Yen Sid and Xehanort both pulled the pieces back out, looking down at them and then to each other before looking back at the girl. “If this works, this is goodbye then.” Xehanort began. 

“Thanks for everything, Alice.” Eraqus told her with a smile. Alice smiled brightly at them in return. 

“Goodbye.” she said simply. 

Eraqus took his place between his two friends. Pulling them all together with his arms around their waists. They both returned the gesture, raising their opposite hands with the pieces of the star in front of them. 

“Okay, hold on tight.” Xehanort reminded them. Feeling Eraqus bunch up the cloth on his side in his fist, clutching on tightly. 

Once ready, they all shared glances and nodded. Xehanort and Yen Sid bring their pieces together where they fused with a bright flash of light. Brightening ever more as the three screwed their eyes shut against the glare. The light and the sinking, nauseous feeling washing over them being their only signs that the star had activated. 

* * *

_ Knock knock. _

The group of them turned toward the door when Ienzo knocked. The young scientist had a smile on his face. 

“You look happy.” Lea observed. A smile of his own on his face. 

“Shouldn’t we all be?” Ienzo said, walking farther into the room. Letting the clipboard he held fall to his side. “You’ve all claimed quite the victory. Saving the Worlds and all.”

“That was all Sora.” Xion chuckled into her hand. 

“Kid’s a show off, right Isa?” Lea laughed and playfully nudged his friend’s arm. Lightly of course, Isa was still recovering from being recompleted. The blue haired man merely hummed a smile in response, nudging Lea back. 

“Right, Isa.” Ienzo lifted his clipboard again, remembering the reason he’d come in. “You’re extensive vital check came back. And, great news! Nothing seems out of the ordinary. And we have confirmed a complete heart with the scans. Just a little more rest and you should be good to go.” He smiled at him. “And I know I said it before, but it’s really good to have you back. “

There were smiles all around the room at the good news. Even Roxas and Xion, who had been wary of the man who used to be so cold to them, were relieved and happy to know that he was alright. 

“Thank you, Ienzo. It.. is good.. to be back.” He spoke slowly. 

“Of course.” the young scientist said before another thought came to him. “Oh, I meant to tell you all, the others arrived early this morning and we are preparing the vessel for Namine. Everything should be ready soon if any of you would like to be there when she wakes. We’re confident that the Heart transfer will work.”

At the mention of Namine, Xion and Roxas perked up. They both owed her for what she did for them. 

Standing, Roxas asked first. “Where is she?” 

“Down in the lab, I’ll take you there if you like.” 

“Yea. Xion?” He looked back as she got to her feet, adjusting the new blouse and skirt they had bought her that morning. Roxas, too, had found an outfit exactly like the one he’d worn in the data Twilight Town that he’d immediately changed into. They’d never wear those coats again. 

“I’ll wait here.” Lea said. “Don’t want to overwhelm the girl. We’ll go see her after.” He told them with an easy smile. 

Ienzo led Roxas and Xion to where the others were gathered in the lab. The vessel for Namine lay on a medical chair near the center of the room, surrounded by machines. 

In the room were all the people they expected to be there, those who were connected or new Namine in one sense or another. A large group of friends there to greet her. Well, and the scientists. 

“Alright,” DiZ-er, Ansem --as they’d been told when they arrived the night before-- said soon after they entered. Turning from the computer screens he’d been focused on. “The data all seems in order. Sora, Kairi. If you would.” He gestured and smiled at them before backing away. Roxas noted that he backed into a corner away from where Namine would see him but still in the room in case anything went wrong. Smart man. 

“Right!” Sora said as he and Kairi approached where Namine lay. Sora took a deep breath and summoned his Keyblade. The same Kingdom Key that Roxas and Xion used to share. 

Aiming the tip right at Kairi’s heart, Sora made an unlocking motion and the tip of his keyblade lit up. A ball of light emerged from Kairi’s chest as she gasped. A Heart! That was Namine’s Heart! 

Squinting through the new light in the room, Roxas watched as Sora carefully moved his keyblade away and Kairi lifted her hands to cradle the heart. Once it was securely in her grasp, Sora dismissed his blade. 

Smiling, Kairi moved to Namine’s side. “Time to wake up now, Namine.” She said so softly, Roxas wasn’t sure if she actually said it. Then Kairi lowered her hands, the heart with them to rest over Namine’s chest. Where she opened her hands, letting the heart join it’s new vessel. 

There was a flash of light then as the heart made contact. Roxas brought a hand up to shield his eyes from the blinding light. Just then he felt something touch his hand and jumped a little before realizing it was only Xion. He held her hand tight as the light subsided. 

When they were all able to see again, there were a few moments with no change. Namine’s eyes remained closed and everyone’s breath was held. Then there was a sound, then another. Steady beeps coming from a machine at her side. Heartbeats. 

And then, Namine opened her eyes.

* * *

Isa waited until Roxas and Xion were out of ear shot to speak again. “Lea, you can go see your friend. I’ll be fine.”

“I know that.” Lea assured. “I’d just... rather not go down there again.” He turned away, narrowing his eyes at the ground. Isa didn’t ask, Lea knew that he understood enough about it to not need to ask. He was thankful for that.

_ Do do do do dododo do dooooo _

Lea sucked in a breath through his nose as he pulled his gummiphone from the pocket of his new jacket. Pausing to glance at Isa, who just gestured to go ahead, he answered the call. Ven’s face taking up the screen. 

“Woah, cool! It worked!” The blonde mused, making Lea chuckle. 

Recognizing the voice, Isa furrowed his brows. Roxas was just here. “Who is that?” he asked in confusion. 

“Oh, Isa! Remember that boy we met when we were kids?” Lea angled the phone so Isa could see the boy in question.

“Isa! It’s good to see you!” Ven exclaimed when he could see the other man. 

“V-Ven?! How did.. You haven’t changed a bit!” The boy looked exactly the same as he remembered. Just like Roxas. 

The blonde scratched his cheek. “Heh, that’s a long story. Oh, but Lea!”

“Right here.”

“We… may have a problem.”

Lea furrowed his brows at the boy. “What kind of problem?”

“The we-can’t-find-the-Masters kind of problem?”

“Wait what?!”


	5. Down the Mountain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys make it to a new place and come across new enemies. They begin to realize the severity of the situation they're in and start coming up with strategies to survive. 
> 
> Sora, Riku and Namine have a chat under the stars.

“Xeha, c’mon!” Eraqus called back to his friend. Their plan to stick together this time had worked. All three of them having landed in the same area; a cavern like area surrounded by tall cliffs. Many of the cliff faces were covered in blue mosaic tiles, the same that covered the ground. On one of the higher cliffs was a large statue of a man, looking down into the clearing. 

It was the statue as well as the artwork depicted in the mosaic that had captured Xehanort’s inquisitive mind this time. Eraqus and Yen Sid left him to it while they came up with a game plan. Seeming as if they cannot control where the star will take them, they might be wandering worlds for a while. So the necessities were, of course; water, food, and shelter. In order of importance. 

“We could always melt a blizzard spell for emergency water, too.” Yen Sid suggested.

“Smart. But we can’t rely on that either, we’ll just run out of mana.” Eraqus said. “Even you, Mister Sorcerer.” He added when Yen Sid looked at him as if he didn’t know who he was talking to.

“Suppose that’s fair. Need to conserve as much energy as possible.” 

They both look up at the sound of footsteps. Xehanort walking back to join them, though his face was still turned toward the mosaics. 

“Find anything interesting?” Eraqus asked, pulling his attention toward them at last. 

“Nothing I can really make out. Maybe legends and folklore that the people around here believe in.” He sat on the ground, joining the little circle they’d made. “They’re a guy in the mosaic with flames for hair.” He said with a laugh, picking at the grass poking through the cracks in the tiles they sat on. 

“Fire hair? That’s interesting at least.” Eraqus laughed with him. 

“Would it smell like burned hair?” Even Yen Sid joining in on the fun, his question bolstering Eraqus’ snickers.

“Ew, I hope not.” 

“So, have we come up with a plan yet?” Xehanort asked them after they’d all stopped their laughing. 

“Not quite, Eraqus mentioned that we’ll need basic survival things though. Food, water-- those kinds of things.” 

“We’re not gonna find those things sitting here. Should we start moving?” Eraqus said as he was looking out toward the sky. Watching the sun sink ever lower to the horizon. By the looks of it, they still had a few hours of light. 

“Yea, might as well figure out where we are. Maybe there’s a town nearby.” Xehanort suggested. Someone had to have carved the statues and built the mosaics that were around them, after all. 

Yen Sid was the first to stand, brushing off his clothes and turning toward the only path down. Well, ‘path’ was a generous word. Being the only way that they could see leading out of the statue cavern, it had to have been a path at one time. The dirt having been eroded away by weather and time leaving a steep drop-off and a few columns of rock dotting the distance between where they stood and where the path continued.

Eraqus and Xehanort stopped at the edge behind Yen Sid. “Think we can make it?” Eraqus asked with a smirk.

“Course.” Xehanort said, backing up a few paces.”Move.” he said, barely giving the two time to step out of the way before he ran. Leaping across the columns like stepping stones without letting his momentum falter as he made it safely to the other side. “Made it!” he called back to his friends.

“Show off.” Yen Sid mumbled before backing from the edge himself, making Eraqus laugh as he gave the younger wielder room to jump. He leapt across easily, but the last column began to crumble as he stepped on it, breaking his momentum and making him stumble. Falling, Yen Sid yelped and reached for the edge of the cliff. 

“Gotcha!” Xehanort said as he grabbed Yen Sid’s arm before he could completely fall. He helped pull the boy up as he climbed over the edge, sitting as he caught his breath. “That was close.”

“Yea. thanks” 

“You alright, Sid?!” Eraqus called from across the way. He answered with a nod and a thumbs up that he hoped the other boy could see. 

“Okay, Era! This last column isn’t very stable!” Xehanort warned his friend.

“Got it! Gonna try to jump over it then!” 

“What!? That’s too far!”

“Then catch me!” With that, Eraqus started his run. 

“You idiot.” Xehanort mumbled to himself as he prepared to do just that. But right away he noticed that Eraqus was running very fast, definitely faster than Yen Sid had been. By the time he saw that he would make the jump without needing to be caught, Xehanort didn’t have the time to move out of the way. Xehanort caught his friend with an “oof” as the momentum of the jump caused them both to tumble to the ground. 

They rolled once, Xehanort’s arms around Eraqus’ thinner frame, before they stopped. Xehanort on his back, holding Eraqus’ torso to his chest. A second of bewildered silence passed before he felt, rather than heard, Eraqus laugh. The puff of air he let out tickling Xehanort’s neck where the other boy’s face had ended up nestled against him. 

“You caught me.” He murmured into his neck, tickling the skin there even more. Xehanort sucked in a breath at the sensation. New, and not entirely unpleasant. “Uh, Xeh? You can let go.” What? It was only after Eraqus pointed it out that he realized he still had his arms around the boy. 

He gasped and flinched away, allowing Eraqus to push himself up and off of himself. “Sorry.” He said as he got into a sitting position too. They weren’t touching anymore he noted, furrowing his brows at himself. Why was that the first thing he made himself aware of? But he shook that thought away as Eraqus spoke again.

“No biggie.” he laughed. 

“That’s a point for Eraqus.” Yen Sid spoke from behind them. Breaking them both out of their thoughts. 

“Huh?”

“You knocked him down, that’s a point to your score.” he clarified, sounding bored. He walked past them down the path as he spoke. 

“It IS! That’s 28 wins for me!” Eraqus jumped up then. 

“No way! That doesn’t count! We weren’t sparring!”

“A win’s a win!” Xehanort wasn’t sure Eraqus’ grin could get any wider. His eyes shining in his excitement. 

“Aah, whatever. Fine. You got me.” he conceded. Smiling fondly and shaking his head at Eraqus’ exclaimed “YES!” as he jumped in the air. 

They continued down the path in relative silence then, climbing down the steep declines as they slowly made themselves down what was now clearly a mountainside. Xehanort following behind the other two as they clamber down a particularly steep slope. Practically scaling down a cliff, it was so steep. He guessed he was about halfway down the cliff when many things happened in quick succession. He heard two things; a noise like wind accompanied by rattling metal, and then Eraqus’ voice laced with panic, “Xeh! Look out!” 

It hit him before he was able to react. Pain slicing across his shoulder, making him lose his grip on the slope. He slid the rest of the way down, wincing as he hit the ground. “Heal!” Yen Sid called, Xehanort feeling the cool effects of the spell wash over him as his friend ran over to him. 

“Thanks, Sid.” Xehanort told him, taking the hand he offered to pull himself up. 

“No problem.” He responded quickly, running back toward where Eraqus was fighting. Xehanort summoning his own blade to help. 

The Heartless that spawned here were stronger than in Wonderland’s forests. There were a few of the same types as before scuttling on the ground that were easy enough to take out, but those couldn’t have attacked him on the cliff as easily. He found what must have been the culprit then, the heartless that Eraqus was fighting. It looked similar to the other ones, only with a pair of wings and donned in what appeared to be armor. 

This new enemy had quite an advantage. Being able to fly, they could stay well out of the way of their keyblades. Both Eraqus and Yen Sid having trouble even getting a hit on the two flying heartless. 

Xehanort slashed through the last of the ground-bound shadows and made his way over to the others. He attempted lining up a fire spell on one, but he missed. “Shit.” he cursed under his breath. 

“Thunder!” Yen Sid called, the wide-ranged spell catching it’s target. Stunning the airborne heartless just enough for him to finish it off with physical attacks. 

Leaving only one more heartless. The flying enemy making itself even more annoying by hovering over the side of the mountain. Where none of them could reach it. If they tried to hit it, they’d risk falling. Eraqus attempted another fire spell and growled in frustration when the little pest dodged it once again. “Will you stop moving!” 

The battle was practically at a stalemate now, with the last heartless staying out of reach it wasn’t attacking them either. 

“I got the other one with thunder.” Yen Sid said. All three of them were standing at the edge, just watching the heartless now, seeing as it wouldn’t come closer. Yen Sid dismissed his keyblade and crossed his arms. 

Eraqus readied his own keyblade again. Closing his eyes as he concentrated. Thunder wasn’t one of his best spells. More often than not, the spell would just fizzle out or backfire when they did magic drills. To the point where Eraqus just preferred to go without them. It’s been nearly a month since he’d even attempted one. 

Taking a deep breath, Eraqus called “Thunder!” and he felt the air around him sizzle with the energy and for a moment he thought it would work! But the spell fizzled out at the last second, a few sparks around the tip of his keyblade, but then nothing. The heartless skittering about in the air, it’s armor rattling sounding akin to laughter. 

Frustrated, Eraqus glared at the enemy, his keyblade lowering with his disappointment. Though he should have known that it’d be unlikely that he could perform the spell after so long without even trying. 

Xehanort then stepped forward, placing a hand on Eraqus’ shoulder to get the boy’s attention. Yen Sid watched him whisper something in his ear, twin grins splitting their faces at whatever Xehanort had planned. The silvernette re-summoning his keyblade and taking position beside Eraqus. Then they side stepped in opposite directions, quickly flanking the heartless as much as possible with it still hovering in the open air. They both cast fire spells then, the two attacks startling the enemy. Able to dodge one of them only to get hit by the other. The dark creature vanishing in the flash of fire and smoke. 

“Finally!” Eraqus exclaimed, dismissing his blade. 

“Heh, you must have hit it a few times already. Just one hit by that spell shouldn’t have destroyed it that easy.” Xehanort said. Maybe that’s why it stayed away from them then, it was injured and knew it had a better chance dodging. 

“Only problem now is I’m almost out of mana.” Eraqus spoke through deep breaths. Definitely low mana then if he was that out of breath. 

“This isn’t good. If we get swarmed by those things it’d be bad news.” Yen Sid started. “There were only two this time and you’re low on mana. We need to be careful. None of us have any potions right?”

“Nope”

“Not me.”

“Oh hey! At least we’re not broke!” Eraqus said as he began picking up some coins that the heartless had dropped. “We’d probably get enough munny by fighting to buy some supplies if we ever find a shop.” 

“Think there’s one on this mountain?” Xehanort asked, a smirk on his face. Trying to lighten the mood. 

“Maybe not up here, but there might be something down there.” Yen Sid said, pointing down into the valley below them. There were buildings! A walled city at the foot of the mountain. 

“A town!”

They continued down the winding paths, there were more heartless attacks, but the three wielders had come up with a fairly effective strategy to deal with the winged ones. They’d try to back as many of them together as possible for Yen Sid to cast a wide thunder spell. Eraqus and Xehanort taking the creatures out while they were stunned. It was a good strategy for those types. Yen Sid had a large store of mana, so they could keep it up for a while. 

Amongst the flying heartless also came a new kind. They wore similar armor to their airborne allies, but they lacked the wings. With them staying on the ground, they were much less annoying. Even if they were more resilient than the other shadows without armor. 

It became a pattern, they’d walk a while then heartless would appear, they’d take them out and continue walking. Collecting the munny and items the heartless dropped as they went. 

“It’s getting late.” Eraqus pointed out as they walked. He was right, of course. The sun was setting fast, threatening to leave them stranded on this mountain in the dark. The city they’d spotted before was still quite a hike away. They’d have to find a place to set up camp for the night. 

Thankfully they’d walked past a few fruit trees on their hike down the mountain. It wasn’t much at all, but it was food. A few apricots and apples to help keep their energy up and replenish their mana. 

They found a clear spot by a waterfall and stream where they decided to stop before the sun completely left them. They were nearly at the foot of the mountain now. They saw that the stream ran right towards the city, so they deemed it was safe to drink. Settlements usually crop up near a water supply. 

They took the opportunity to wash the sweat and dried blood off their faces and arms in the stream. Fortunately none of them had been seriously injured in the fights, just a few scratches here and there. 

Making a fire was easy. Only hindered by Eraqus finding nothing but wet wood, much to Xehanort's annoyance. But they made it work, Xehanort gained a new appreciation for the magic they’d learned. He’d had to start fires the hard way before he became a keyblade wielder, after all. Being able to get a fire going with just a murmured spell was a gift. 

After deciding who got first watch, the three of them started settling down to get some rest and wait for daylight. 

* * *

_ “An empty world, pure and bright.”  _

Xehanort's words had been replaying over and over in Sora’s head. That fight had been so difficult, the old master was so determined to complete his goal. For his plan using Kingdom Hearts to work. 

And for what? To start the worlds over? Why? Sora pulled his knee up to rest his chin and sighed. 

“Can’t sleep?” Sora jumped at the voice. Turning toward the newcomer. Riku walked down the last of the stairs and sat on the ledge there next to him. 

“Mm, yea. Just thinking.” He returned to his position with his chin on his knee, looking over the town, as he answered the other boy's question. 

Riku didn’t respond for a moment and when he did, his voice sounded different, hesitant. “You- wanna talk about it?”

“I’m- confused?” he started. Truthfully, Sora wasn’t sure how he was feeling. They defeated the organization. Defeated Xehanort. The threat to the worlds was gone and all his friends were safe, but is it really over? “During our fight, Master Xehanort was saying some things. Talking about his plan and everything. So much of it just doesn’t make sense.” 

“How so? Did he say what he wanted to use Kingdom Hearts for?” Riku was looking at him now, but Sora still looked straight ahead. Gaze trailing upwards to the starry sky. 

“I didn’t catch everything. Heat of battle, you know.” he sighed again. “But, I did ask him what would happen. He said, a lot of stuff then, ‘from the darkness, came light. From the light, came people, evil coming from people's hearts creating more darkness.’” he hoped he remembered right. “Then he said Kingdom Heart’s light would start the worlds over. ‘An empty world, pure and bright.’ he said.” 

“He wanted the worlds to start over?” Riku asked, incredulous.

“That’s what he said.” Sora turned toward his friend then. 

“But that would..” Riku started, his brows furrowed. He was clearly confused too, Sora was surprised at how comforting it was. To know that it wasn’t just him. “That is confusing.” Riku said then, looking Sora in the eyes with a small smile on his face. 

“Yea.” Sora smiled back at him before he continued. “He said something after that too. That the worlds need a leader. To stop people from creating more darkness or something. Everything he said during that battle was just the opposite of everything he’d said before.” he shook his head, frustrated. “It’s just. I don’t know what to think anymore.”

“Hmmm this is really confusing. We probably should let the others know.” he said. “But you know what else I think?” Riku asked, catching Sora’s eye, who shook his head. “I think that there’s nothing we can really do about it. Master Xehanort is gone, you defeated him and you have the X-blade now too. So we shouldn’t let it bother us too much.”

“Mmm, you’re right.” Sora released his knee, letting his legs dangle off the ledge over the garden. “We shouldn’t ignore it, of course. Probably a good idea to tell the others.”

“Yea. so we’ll have the information if he ever comes back.” Riku said. Then chuckled to himself.

“What is it?” Sora asked.

“Just, I can’t believe that kid we met last night is actually Master Xehanort.” 

Sora laughed with him then. “Heh, he wasn’t anything like I expected! We’ve even met that young time traveling Xehanort before. They’re like completely different people.”

“So different.” Riku agreed. “The kid last night, aside from being suspicious of us. Which he has a right to be. But aside from that, he was so  _ happy.” _

“He really was. And you could tell he cared about his friends.”

“Yea.”

“Speaking of…,” Sora realized. 

“Master Yen Sid!” they both said at the same time before bursting into laughter. 

“Is he younger than them?” Sora asks through his laughs, wiping tears from his eyes.

“Maybe? He’s so TINY” 

“To you maybe, you giant! He’s only a little shorter than me.”

“I can’t help my height!” Riku argued playfully, ruffling Sora’s hair, pulling an unwitting laugh out of him even as he protested. The familiar gesture warmed his heart with memories of the times he and Riku would roughhouse like this before they left the islands. Before everything. 

“I hope they’re okay.” Sora said when he calmed his laughter. They’d been informed earlier that the Masters had gone missing. Probably were warped off-world with the help of something called a ‘star-shard’ that Mickey talked about. 

“Me too, but we’ll find them.” Riku assured.Terra and Ventus had already started the search. Using their gliders to travel to worlds they’d been to before. Aqua had to stay behind though, seems her armor is missing. 

“Yea, one more journey!”

“Hah! Right.” they both chuckle. 

“Hehe~. Why am I not surprised to find you two out here.” A soft voice came from behind them with a sweet laugh. The two boys turn to her. 

“Namine!” Sora said, smiling wide as he stood to face her.

“You feel alright?” Riku asked, She’d been so exhausted earlier that afternoon that she had been asleep all evening. 

“Mmhmm. I’m fine. Thank you.” 

“That’s good.” Sora smiled. 

“Hehe, I just couldn’t sleep anymore, so I wanted to stretch my legs.” she moved to the ledge where they had been sitting and took her own place there. “Hope you don’t mind if I join you.” she said. 

“Not at all.” Riku said, Sora shaking his head too as he sat back down on her other side. The night air was cool and refreshing after spending nearly all day in the castle. 

“Oh, Namine!” Sora shifted his body so he could face her as much as possible. And with all the sincerity he could muster, he said, “Thank you.”

Namine’s eyes widened then, her expression of surprise slowly transforming into a watery smile. “You’re welcome, Sora.” her voice was soft, almost broken as she raised a hand to wipe her eyes. 

On the other side of them, Riku watched this exchange with a small smile of his own. 

“Why am I crying?” 

“I didn’t mean to make you cry! I’m sorry.” Sora sounded almost panicked, Riku chuckling at his reaction.

“It’s okay, Namine.” She turned to look at him. And he smiled at her. “Tears are just the natural way our bodies deal with excess emotions.” 

“Really?’

“Oh yea!” Sora said. “You can be super happy and cry. It doesn't always mean you’re sad.”

“Exactly.”

They sat together after that, sharing pleasant conversation. Namine pointing out the different colored flowers in the garden below them. And all three of them making up constellations in the stars they could see. 

A sudden breeze picked up and Namine began to shiver, her small dress doing nothing to stop the chill.

“Think it’s time to head back.” Riku said, removing his jacket as he stood and laying it across her shoulders. 

“Thank you.” she said holding the warm article closed with one hand while taking Sora’s offered hand in the other to help her stand. Together they all began climbing the stairs back up to the castle. 

“Heh, that looks cute on you.” Sora commented Namine from behind him, prompting Riku to look back at her. His jacket was obviously too big, falling down nearly to her knees. She could probably wear it as a dress. And yes, he agreed it was cute. But the comment also reminded him of something else as they reached the top of the stairs. 

“Heh, thanks.” she said, smiling. 

They made it back into the warmth of the castle and headed up to the guest rooms. Sora reaching his first and wishing them both goodnight with a smile and a yawn. Riku wondered how late it actually was. They hadn’t been keeping track. 

Namine returned Riku’s Jacket as they walked, thanking him again. 

Riku fished in his pocket for something, stopping Namine once he found it. “Namine, her. He offered the object. A light blue pouch he’d been keeping for her. “Kairi mentioned taking you shopping tomorrow, right? This is for you.” 

She took the pouch, confusion on her face before she opened the drawstrings. Then surprise taking over her features. “Oh Riku! I can’t accept this..” she said. 

In the pouch was a couple thousand munny. “You can. It’s a gift.” He smiled at her. “There’s a new craft store in the market here, I want you to get anything you like.”

“But!”

“Take it.”

Namine sighed. “There’s no changing your mind, is there?” 

“Nope.”

“Okay.” she conceded. “Thank you.”

He smiled again. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Riku.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what were those odd thoughts and feelings there, Xeha? X3
> 
> AAAHHHHH NAMINEEE MY ANGEL!!
> 
> im basing munny on yen so riku gave her a couple hundred, not thousands. don't freak out! 
> 
> ALSO ANNOUNCEMENT! I'll be working on another project starting soon, this work won't be on hiatus, but it may be longer between updates. I'm sorry. 
> 
> Please comment if you enjoyed! I love reading them! and follow me on twitter! @mimzy_whimzy !! where I scream about KH and retweet awesome art!


	6. Rest and Restoration

In the end, Yen Sid pulled the short straw, earning himself the second watch. Eraqus would take first, and Xehanort the morning watch. Xehanort shrugged off his overcoat before lying down, rolling it up to use as a pillow. The other two wielders taking their own spots around the fire. 

“So, any idea what happened to it?” Eraqus asked. Yen Sid was holding the star object that had warped them here. It stayed in one piece this time, but the bright blue-green item was dull. As if it had a light within it that had dimmed. They were able to touch it without it activating and sending them someplace else. Which was both a relief and a concern to the three wielders.

“I think it might need to recharge? With it dull like it is, we might have used all its energy.” Yen Sid theorized. 

“Wonder how long that would take?” Xehanort asked. 

“Who knows?” Eraqus said, flopping backwards resting his head on Xehanort's stomach.

“Oof! Don’t get comfortable now, Era. you gotta stand watch.” 

“Speaking of, I’m gonna try to sleep before I'm rudely awakened.” Yen Sid said once again pocketing the little star to stand and walk over to the other two. He positioned himself perpendicular to Xehanort, laying back on his chest the same as Eraqus. 

“What am I? The community pillow?” Xeha made a show of protesting but didn’t move either of his friends. 

“Yep, now be a good pillow and shut up.” Yen Sid responded, making Eraqus chuckle. 

* * *

“-id. Sid” The boy groaned as he awoke. Blinking his eyes open to Eraqus, who had been whispering to wake him up. 

Sitting up, Yen Sid stretched. “Anything happen?” He asked, though surely if heartless showed up he and Xehanort would have heard and woke up. His stomach chose that moment to growl. “Happen to find any food?” Yen Sid chuckled. 

Eraqus let out a short laugh at that. “Nope, I got us more firewood though.”

“Fire’s no good without something to cook..” he whined as his stomach growled again. Standing and shaking himself awake. He expected a retort and when none came he looked back down to Eraqus, who was already asleep in his place curled up against Xehanort chest, one hand fisted in the fabric of his shirt.

As an idea formed in his head, Yen Sid felt a smirk stretch across his face. 

When he first woke up at his grandfather's desk in the tower, Yen Sid found a little blue pouch with his initials ‘YS’, on it in yellow. Inside it was a red and yellow rectangular object. He hadn’t had much time to fiddle with it, but as Eraqus and Xehanort slept off the spell at the tower he figured out a few things. 

When he’d pushed onto the circular part on the bottom, the black part lit up, displaying words asking for a passcode and a few colorful options. 

He hadn’t bothered to figure out the passcode, and one option changed the screen to a little pad of numbers that Yen Sid didn’t know what to do with. The other option, however, displayed an image of the floor between his feet when he tapped on it. The image moved when he moved the device to display whatever he was pointing at. His hand slipped on the device once, and it made an odd clicking sound when his fingers found a button on the side. 

That was how Yen Sid discovered how to take photos with this device. Still smirking, he pulled the device from his pocket and snapped a photo of his sleeping friends. “Gotta keep myself entertained.” he said to himself as he started his watch.

* * *

Xehanort awoke slowly with a warm weight at his side. Eyes blinking open to the pre-dawn light, partially obscured by stark black hair. As awareness returned to him, Xehanort realized that Eraqus was laying on his arm. The limb tingling and numb as he tried to free himself without waking his friend. 

“Oh, you awake?” Xehanort looked over to the voice, finding Yen Sid sitting against a tree. 

“Yea.” he said. Finally sitting up, he moved his overcoat he’d used as a pillow under Eraqus’ head before he stood. “Try to get some more sleep, Sid.” Knowing his friend hadn’t slept long. 

As Yen Sid seemed to do just that, laying down where he was by the tree, Xehanort stretched and made his way to the river. He splashed his face and took a drink from the cool water.

The sun hadn’t yet broken the horizon, but the signs of dawn were unmistakable. The cool light, sounds of birds and other wildlife waking up to start the day. Xehanort didn’t normally wake this early, but he appreciated the quiet all the same. 

There wasn’t much to do but wait now. Xehanort stoking the campfire to combat the bit of morning chill. Nearly regretting letting Eraqus use his coat-pillow, but he wasn’t too bothered by it. The fire kept him warm enough, and it’s not like his sleeveless coat would do much good, anyway. 

Xehanort stayed watch for maybe an hour. In which, not a single Heartless showed itself. A fact which only frustrated him, If the heartless weren’t going to attack them in the night then why did they stand watch in the first place? Frustrations aside, he shook his head fiddling with a blade of grass. It’s better for them to be prepared. The watches were necessary, he reminded himself. Bored and hungry as he was, waiting for his friends to wake. 

A few more minutes of destroying the grass around where he sat, Xehanort heard something. A distinct ‘whooshing’ sound. The sound coming in beats, growing louder with each one. Eyes darting around as he tried to locate the source of the strange noise. 

He found it soon enough, a dark shape in the sky right where the sun was rising. The sound proving to be the steady beat of a pair of large wings. 

Squinting into the light, Xehanort could only just make out the shape of a... flying horse? The beast coming down for a landing at their little camp site. The rider hopping off and facing them. A cheery, “Hi there!” on his lips as he approached. Xehanort standing, the only defense between the intruder and his sleeping friends. 

The man stopped approaching, raising his hands in a placating gesture at the defensive stance. Now that he was close enough for Xehanort to see without being blinded by the rising sun, he could make out the intruders features. He was tall, tall and muscular. He wore leather armor that barely covered just his torso and thighs, much to Xehanort’s confusion. Why wear armor if you’re not protected? 

As he was being scrutinized, the intruder spoke again, “I don’t mean bother, I was just asked to investigate a fire that a villager had seen.” His eyes leave Xehanorts, looking behind him at the still burning embers, no doubt. His explanation did work to calm Xehanort’s worries. The silvernette easing out of his guard when it was clear that the man wasn’t here to hurt them. “It’s dangerous to camp out here, you know. There are monsters in these mountains. I’m glad to see you made it through the night.”

“The night was the easy part.” Xehanort stated. 

“I see..” the man began. But was interrupted by a loud neighing sound. His winged mount bucking up behind him. The only warning before the now familiar sound of Heartless spawning echoed around them. 

“What’s going on?” Eraqus’ voice came from behind him, now awake. 

“Get back, kids! These guys are dangerous!” the man said, now facing the heartless. His back was to Xehanort, holding an arm out as if to shield them. Looking past the man he took inventory of the threat, there were the same shadows and flying heartless that they’d battled the day before as well as some new flying ones that looked to be covered in water. 

“HAAAAA!” the man yelled as he punched one of the flying creatures when it came too close. Standing his ground in front of them. To protect them, Xehanort realized. 

Eraqus appeared in his periphery, keyblade already drawn. Looking back, Yen Sid was not far behind. “Quite a wake up call, huh?” Eraqus laughed. 

Xehanort let out a short laugh at that then summoned his own keyblade. The three of them then entered the fight. Yen Sid cast thunder to stun the majority of them as Xehanort and Eraqus rushed into the fray. Ignoring the initial worried shout the other man gave toward them.

They fought off the swarm easily enough. Xehanort taking out two little shadows in one swing before getting blindsided by one of the watery ones. Knocked back a few feet, the surrounding heartless took advantage of the situation and headed straight for the now vulnerable keyblade wielder. Xehanort lifted his blade in a block, closing his eyes and bracing for the attack. 

“Xeha!”

“Xehanort!” 

The silvernette heard both his friends shout his name. But the blow he’d braced for didn’t come. Daring to open his eyes, Xehanort found the man standing before him. Fending off the Heartless with only his fists. After they’d been dispatched, he turned offering a hand. “You alright?” he asked.

“Yea, thanks.” Xehanort let the man help him up. He’d seemed to have cleared out this side of the river of the dark creatures, Yen Sid and Eraqus still fighting off the last few on the other side. 

Yen Sid jumped back, away from the watery attack, and cast another thunder spell. Easily becoming his favorite spell. But instead of the intended effect of stunning the enemy, the lightning was absorbed by the water. The creature only momentarily dazed before it rushed straight back at its attacker. 

Unable to dodge in time, Yen Sid was hit by the charged water heartless. The boy tensing as the energy coursed through him before falling to the ground. 

“Sid!” Eraqus cried as he swung again at his own heartless foe. Catching it in the side before it disintegrated. Running to intercept the last heartless before it could land another hit on his friend. “Fire!” he yelled, the spell hitting the heartless in the back. Its watery body sizzling as steam rose off of it. In the next step, Eraqus was within striking distance and didn’t give the heartless any more time to dodge as he quickly thrust his keyblade forward into it. The creature fizzling out leaving only the floating heart that rose out of sight. 

Xehanort quickly jumped across the stepping stones in the river to get to his friends. Yen Sid was still on the ground, Eraqus having helped him sit up, but he still appeared to be dazed. 

“Yeouch!” Eraqus then shouted, shaking out the hand he’d used to help Yen Sid up. The left over static coursing through the boy shocking Eraqus’ hand. The brunet laughed. “It’s not funny!” Eraqus told him.

Yen Sid continued laughing. “Yes it is!” He was giggling now, holding his sides. 

“Yea, ha ha. Laugh it up, Sparky.”

“Looks like you’re fine to me.” Xehanort grinned down at them. 

“Totally fine.” Yen Sid assured again, calming his laughter. “Nothing hurts anymore. Everything’s just… tingly.” He shook his head again.

“That’s good.” The man said. The three turned back toward him.

“Where did you come from, anyway?” Eraqus asked. Turning his attention to the strange man. 

“Oh, I uh. I came from Thebes.” He gestured in the direction of the town they’d been heading for. “Someone asked for me to check out the fire they’d seen up here last night. They were worried.” 

“Oh. yea it was just us camping. It got dark before we could make it to town.” Xehanort provided. 

The man introduced himself as Hercules, and offered to escort them to the town. Which they accepted. 

Xehanort jumped back over the river after everyone had gotten acquainted to put out the dying fire and retrieve his overcoat from the ground. By the time he returned to the group everyone was ready to set off. 

Everyone except Yen Sid, though he felt fine, he found it hard to stand. He’d used up a lot of energy on top of that hit he took. With the added weakness of not having eaten well, he didn’t have enough mana to cast a cure. 

Hercules whistled loud with his fingers, calling back his winged horse that fled when the Heartless attacked. 

“Oh wow!” Eraqus said at the sight of the creature. 

“This is Pegasus.” Hercules said, patting the horse's nose before turning to speak to Pegasus himself. “You mind walking with us? This boy needs a ride.”

Realizing what he meant, Yen Sid tensed as he leaned on Eraqus. “Uh, No, no, I’m fine, really!” He tried to protest, but Hercules wouldn’t have it. And without warning, Yen Sid was picked up under his arms like a toddler and lifted onto the waiting steed. 

Xehanort and Eraqus chuckling at their friends' discomfort. His face turning red as their group started for Thebes. 

“I have a friend who uses a weapon like yours.” Hercules said after they had been walking a while. 

“Really?” Eraqus asked. 

“Oh yea, Sora. He shows up from time to time with Donald and Goofy. They always help out when people need it.”

“Sora?!” the same Sora that they just met? He did tell some stories about how he’d traveled a lot. Alice said she’d met him too. He must’ve been to so many places for the three of them to have been warped to two of them randomly. 

Sora had apparently just been to this place a few months ago, Hercules told them about how he arrived just on time to help the citizens of Thebes out when a large number of heartless attacked. 

Xehanort had initially been wary of this newcomer, but the more he spoke about Sora and the people of Thebes, he could tell that he had a good heart and truly cared for others. Xehanort could respect that and relaxed. Listening to Eraqus ask the man more questions as they walked. 

He tuned them out after a while, looking around at the scenery and then back at Hercules’ flying horse, Pegasus, walking behind the group. Slowing his own pace to walk beside the beast, Xehanort raised a hand in question. Petting the horse’s nose when it was clear that he wouldn’t mind. 

“Enjoying the walk?” Yen Sid said from atop the creature. Grinning down at him. 

“Enjoying the ride?” Xehanort quipped back. Smirking at the memory of Sid’s face when Hercules lifted him up. The smirk widening even more when Sid blushed in embarrassment and kicked him in the back. 

Luckily there were no more heartless attacks on them that day and they made it to Thebes when the sun was high in the sky. 

Yen Sid hopped down from atop Pegasus before they entered the city. The boy thanking him for the ride as he stretched out his legs, now stiff from the ride but better than how wobbly they felt before. 

Once inside the city, evidence of the attack Hercules had told them about was evident. There wasn’t much left to be seen, but the scaffolding around buildings and busy workers lugging bricks and mortar through the streets was evident enough. 

“The Heartless did all of this?” Eraqus voiced mostly to himself as they walked past workers repairing a crumbled wall. Scorch marks still evident on the stone. 

“Kid! There you are!” A gravelly voice called across the way, It’s owner running over to them. The sight of the short man taking Yen Sid aback for a moment. As he got closer, it was apparent that he was only barely as high as Yen Sid’s own waist. The stocky man heading straight for Hercules and ignoring the boys in his way. Putting his hands on his hips and stomping his hoof- wait, hoof!? “Where ya been? The whole town’s been looking for yous while you been slacking!” 

“Sorry, Phil. I escorted these kids to town. Took a little longer to get back.” Hercules explained. The hoofed-man then looking at them in turn. Yen Sid tensing at his glare before the man turned to Eraqus.

“What? Never seen a satyr before?” He asked at the look on Eraqus’ face. The word ‘satyr’ must have been implying the man- Phil -himself. 

“Uh- N- No, Sir.” the black haired boy stuttered his answer as Phil fumed.

“Phil,” Hercules said, the satyr deflating and letting out a sigh. 

“Fine, fine! So, what? These the ones that had that fire going on the mountain?” He asked.

“We did, sir.” Xehanort confirmed, explaining further. “It got dark before we could make it to town.” 

“You’re lucky you survived! It’s dangerous out there, kid!”

“So we keep hearing.” Yen Sid mutters.

“Hey! No lip outta you! Those monsters are the same ones that did all this to Thebes.” He gestures to the town. 

“Easy Phil, they’re just kids. And they can hold their own, I fought beside them on the mountain.” 

“What?! These rookies!?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Eraqus said, leaning forward with his hands on his hips to glare at the gruff man. 

“We can take care of ourselves.” Xehanort joined in, crossing his arms and looking down past his nose to the satyr. 

Yen Sid said nothing, not that he didn’t doubt their skills, but they’re far from able to take care of themselves. Fighting is one thing, but basic survival is another. Yen Sid realized, reminded by a growl from his protesting stomach. 

That seemed to set off a chain reaction as both Eraqus and Xehanort’s stomachs reacted the same. Effectively diffusing the situation. Phil huffing out a smug laugh. “Can take care of yourselves, huh? Whether you can fight or not, won’t matter on an empty stomach!” 

Xehanort grumbles under his breath as Eraqus sheepishly scratches his head. 

“Heh, it’s been a long morning, huh? Let’s get you guys something to eat. Come on.” Hercules started off across the square. Xehanort, Eraqus and Yen Sid silently following behind. Leaving a chuckling Phil behind them.

* * *

It was a beautiful afternoon in Radiant Garden. That morning, Kairi and Xion had excitedly taken Namine shopping with them as the boys all headed for the tower to start the search for the missing masters. 

Namine was alone in the gardens in the center of town, where she’d gone as soon as they’d returned from shopping. Wearing her new light blue overall shorts, white puffy sleeve top and matching white ankle boots. She’d been hesitant in the beginning, not wanting Kairi to spend all her munny on her. But she relented after trying on the first few outfits. It felt so nice wearing something new. Something with  _ color.  _

And just like Riku said, there was indeed a new craft store in town. From which Namine emerged happily with a new sketchbook, pencils and a watercolor set. 

With which she was sketching the first piece in her new life. Kneeling down in front of the garden beds in the square, Namine drew the flowers growing there. Big yellow blooms and small clusters of blue. White too. Namine could lose herself in them. 

So engrossed in her sketching that she didn’t immediately notice that someone knelt beside her. Jumping when they spoke.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” The friendly voice came again. Namine stopping her drawing to look at the newcomer. Kind green eyes and sweet smile greeting her. 

“Um, it’s okay. I was uh..” 

“Focused? I could see that.” She giggled. “You’re very good.” she said, looking at the open sketchbook.

“Thank you.” Namine said softly.

“You’re welcome. I’m Aerith. I haven’t seen you around town before.” The woman introduced herself before moving to the garden and picking out the few small weeds between the flowers. 

_ Aerith. Sora’s friend.  _ Namine recalls. “I’m Namine.” She says. “Did you plant all these?” 

“Nice to meet you, Namine. And no, I organized the event, but the whole town helped plant them.” She explained. Still plucking weeds and placing them into a basket. 

“Namine!” Kairi’s familiar voice called to her. She and Aerith both looking toward the girl. Riku and Xion stood beside her as she waved. 

“Oh, they’re calling me. We’ve got to leave soon.” Namine stood, gathering her pencils and closing the sketchbook. Putting everything back into her bag when Aerith stood beside her. 

“Here you are.” Namine stops fussing with her bag as she feels Aerith place something in her hair. Namine tilting her head in question when the woman backs away to admire her work. “A daisy. It suits you.” She smiled. 

“One of the flowers?” Namine reached up to feel the soft petals in her hair. 

“The white ones. Flowers have meanings too, you know. The white daisy symbolizes innocence and new beginnings.” She smiles kindly. Namine smiling back. 

“Thank you. New beginnings..?” she looks back toward her friends. Talking amongst each other at the top of the stairs. Xion laughs at something Kairi said. “Do you.. Could I take another daisy for my friend?” 

“Of course. Just can’t pick all the flowers, now.” she warned playfully. 

“I won’t.” Namine knelt down to pick one of the white blooms. 

“See you around, Namine.” Aerith said.

“For sure!” Namine called back as she quickly walked to where the others were gathered. Slowing as she approached them. “Sorry for the wait.” 

“Don’t worry about it. Was that Aerith?” Kairi said as they started walking to where Riku had left the gummiship. 

“Yes. She was telling me about the flowers.” Namine began. “Xion, come here a moment.” She asked the other girl, who stopped to face her. Namine mirrored Aerith’s action, placing the bloom in Xion’s hair. Tucked behind her ear. The white petals a stark contrast to her raven hair. “It’s a daisy. Aerith said they symbolize new beginnings and innocence.” She said. Suddenly feeling awkward, she folded her hands in front of herself.

“Oh, really? It’s so pretty!” 

“It even matches your clothes, Nami!” Kairi said, using the new nickname she’d given her that morning. The comment making her blush. 

“Sorry to break up the moment, but we gotta get going.” Riku said, smiling at the three of them. 

“Right!” Xion hops ahead. “We gotta find those boys!” The others laughing at her enthusiasm as they continue walking. 

“I just hope they’re okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has been TOO LONG! I am so sorry for the delay. Been working on lots of different projects. 
> 
> Follow me on twitter for more updates! [@Mimzy_Whimzy](https://twitter.com/mimzy_whimzy)
> 
> [My Caard](https://mimzywhimzy.carrd.co/)


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